NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — The Connecticut College women’s water polo team fell at Iona University’s Hynes Pool, 17-9. Following the loss, the Camels stand at 2-5 on the season.
Iona opened the contest with the first goal of the game just two minutes in. However, Connecticut answered a minute and a half later as Melia Lorch (Encinitas, Calif.) evened the score. The Gaels responded with two straight tallies, before Meiling Bottan (Lexington, Mass.) found Emma Luna (Wahiawa, Hawaii) who fired home a shot with 2:30 left. Iona pushed the lead to 4-2 in the final 30 seconds, but Luna beat the buzzer as the Camels trailed 4-3 after one quarter.
Iona took control in the second quarter by outscoring Connecticut via a 5-1 count in the frame. The Gaels scored the first four goals of the quarter to extend the lead to 8-3, before Luna was able to end the run at 4:10. Iona tacked on another goal in the final minute of the half, to take a 9-4 advantage into the break.
Both defenses stepped up in the third quarter, as it took over four minutes for either side to score. Carly Schneider (Barrington, Ill.) got the scoring started, cutting the deficit to 9-5. However, each team scored twice over the final 3:41 of the period. Luna tallied both goals for the Camels, as Connecticut trailed 11-7 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Gaels opened the final eight minutes of regulations on a 4-0 run, extending the lead to 15-7, looking to put the game out of reach. With five and a half minutes remaining, Lorch dumped off a pass to Ainsley Cornwall (San Matteo, Calif.) who fired home a chance to make it a 15-8 contest. Iona responded with back-to-back markers, before Luna tallied the final goal of the afternoon off an assist from Anna Taylor (Pleasanton, Calif.).
Maddie Baybeck (Ann Arbor, Mich.) got the start in the cage, finishing with eight saves.
Luna paced the Camels’ offense, leading the way with six goals. Lorch chipped in one goal and one assist, while Cornwall and Schneider both added one goal. Bottan and Taylor each notched one assist.
Release courtesy Connecticut College Athletics Communications
